Online Communities for Cancer Support
Lunch with friends. And you DO NOT want the topic of conversation every single week to be YOUR cancer. And even if you wanted the world to rotate around YOU– because hello, let’s get real, most days your mortality is more important to you than your friend’s dishing of professional workplace dirt–often your friends try as they may, don’t always GET IT.
Who does get it? Someone who has been there. Someone who IS THERE RIGHT NOW.
Which is why a social community is such a great source of support, information and yes, FUN.
Some communities remain chat rooms and bulletin boards, while others have evolved into true multi-feature dynamic communities.
General Requisites for Most Social Communities:
- Create a password
- Submit your email address
- Choose a user name-your name in the community
- Decide how much or how little about yourself you want to share
- Picture time-your smiling face or not
Stumbling along in the user community I’ve discovered a few things that are helpful.
Use an alternative email address for your community messages. It’s much easier and tidier to keep all facets of your world separate.
Do share about yourself. Chances are there is someone out there who does get you, right where you are in your journey. Cancer battlers have more things in common than you might think.
Visit often and comment. You are an important part of the community.
Put up a picture. It makes everything more personal. Or how about an avatar?
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Places to get an avatar:
Many social communities also give you free, create your own blog options and/or create your own page options.
The best way to find your way around these communities is to just, (sorry) DO IT.
Wander around, make friends, invite friends and remember, when all else fails, try the HELP icon.


Tina Radcliffe spent ten years as a Oncology Certified R.N. working with in-patients on oncology and med-surg units. She also has a background in home health and geriatrics. Her other experiences include ... .. 
































